WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously advanced its Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Regulated Agencies bill. The bill upholds a 30-year bipartisan commitment to fully fund the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), ensuring that every eligible participant can be served and rejecting proposed cuts to the program’s food package.
The following is a statement from Georgia Machell, President and CEO of the National WIC Association:
“The Senate’s proposal is a win for America’s families. By fully funding WIC and protecting the fruit and vegetable benefit, lawmakers are protecting a program that improves birth and maternal health outcomes, reduces child hunger, and strengthens public health.
“We are especially encouraged that the Senate has rejected the President’s damaging proposal to slash WIC’s cash value benefit for fruits and vegetables by two-thirds, a cut that would significantly undermine nutrition security for millions of families. The House proposal paves the way for this reduction, rolling back decades of progress.
“Cutting WIC’s food package during a time of increasingly rising food costs would force parents to make impossible choices between nutrition and other essentials. Congress must follow the Senate’s lead and reject any effort to weaken this critical program.
“As the appropriations process moves forward, we urge lawmakers to adopt the Senate’s proposal and protect WIC’s proven public health impact by maintaining full funding and preserving the food package in its entirety. We are grateful to Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, Vice Chair Patty Murray, and Agriculture Subcommittee Chair John Hoeven and Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen for their continued commitment to protecting and strengthening WIC. WIC isn’t just a line in the budget. It’s a lifeline for millions of families and a commitment to America’s future.”
Together, we can ensure WIC continues to support every family who needs it. Want to take action for WIC? Use this form to contact your members of Congress today.